


A Story About Town

by Weird_Science_Department



Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Angst, Bad Ending, Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2019-01-08
Packaged: 2019-06-12 05:37:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,345
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15332967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weird_Science_Department/pseuds/Weird_Science_Department
Summary: Carlos came into the abandoned ghost town but it turns out to be inhibited by someone - Cecil (unaware of his loneliness)*Fanfiction is basically translation of the role play session I write with EternalScout (she is responsible for all Cecil's Chapters).





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Historia o Mieście](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15143573) by [Weird_Science_Department](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Weird_Science_Department/pseuds/Weird_Science_Department). 



_**Cecil:** _

\- A friendly desert community, where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome to Night Vale.

Words were falling from my mouths, rolling prettily into the microphone and then - into everyone's ears who was living in this town, and who - of course - had a radio and was using it. And it was everyone because here in Night Vale there was a law that demanded from citizens to listen to all single broadcast. Besides, even if there was no legal record I was the only source of information here.

Who were I? I was the voice of this town. Exhausted but still, the voice full of hope whose responsibility was to protect and warn Night Vale. Admittedly, since last few... a dozen or so...? Several hundreds (?) years nothing was happening here, nevertheless it was not like my job was forgotten or something. Of course not! I was a narrator. I could create. I was closing my eyes, instead of that opening my third one, a little cover with mist. I haven't seen Night Vale for some time. But I was seeing things that were out of space and time, and Night Vale, by all means, was there. Spending time in such darkness was just calming.

  
\- We are greeted by next calm evening. The sun is setting down, exactly as your heads should be setting down on your pillows, desks, or floors. Some of you were not so lucky to come back home this night. Some of you were not so lucky and they had never returned homes at all... Some of you were never that lucky to even have that home. You should spend a moment to appreciate the fact that you were lucky ones who made their way back home safely. You were able to come back because you knew where to direct your steps, you knew where you will feel at least a little safer. But are there even safer places than the ones patrolled by Sheriff's Secret Police? Yes. But despite that fact we have nothing to fear; as long as the sun fully comes down. I will stay with you that long as well.

What was going on in town? I stopped receiving information. There were no new interns. Letters. Phone calls. Newspapers. But still - I was not able to leave the radio station, feeling that freezing breeze on my neck when I saw the Station Management crawling through the hall for the last time. Oh, I swear, it was the last thing I wanted to feel ever again. And it was just like few days ago, right? It didn't matter. Time is not real any way.

  
\- Now let me take you to the Sport - I know that you are only waiting to hear from our team! I'm looking forward the match against Desert Bluffs Cacti. I am sure that in recent squad they have no chance with our team! The team trains so hard we can't even see the. Incredible speed and precision of throws... This time the championship must be ours! Fingers crossed, and remember - this day will become a part of the history! The year 1988 will become a history of Night Vale and the rest of the world of sport. I am sure about it! I took a deep breath, moving the sheet of paper on which words were coming into each other. I should finally go feed Khoshekh. He was, surely, waiting for that.


	2. 2

_**Carlos:** _

Some things just happen, and when they do, there is no way back from what happened. Thoughts come and leave, changing our lives irrevocably, just after we make decision under their influence. Same thing happened to me. I had everything sorted out, doctorate was written, I mean... I was writing it. But it all took time. Maybe the reason was that during my studies I needed to go through educational hoursof University of What it Is. I had a fiancé, who cared about me and whom I loved - or at least I thought I did. Until one day.

I was sitting at the desk, when some unlucky student was trying to solve an equation on the blackboard, and I looked through the window. I saw a planet of awesome size, lit by no Sun. It was so peculiar that I froze for a second. But none of my students seemed to notice the planet. It seemed to get closer and, in consequence, larger. Then came the breakthrough.

I stood up, cleansed my desk from papers that were laying on it, I told my students to have a break, and I left. I left, despite the fact I knew the class should last one more hour.

In my head I made a plan. I will leave. I will do so and I will finish my doctorate, I did not think about reporting that to the Dean of the Faculty or to anyone. I didn't think much, to be honest. In some kind of lethargy, I stepped down to the background parking lot of the University. I had all necessary devices (at least I thought so). I got into my car and turned on the engine. And then I hit the road.

I was driving pretty long, heading the direction where I was able to see the Giant on the sky better. I had no idea how long my journey could take. I had no idea why it was so easy for me to just leave behind all I used to consider so important in my life. My job, my research I was currently leading - closed at my lab at university, my fiancé, and our home we made together. Nevertheless I could not think about it clearly back then. I was still in some kind of weird trance, and the further from home I was, the more meaningless and foggy everything I was leaving behind, was to me.

Driving at least few days, crossing borders of next states, finally I found myself in the middle of desert highway, that seemed forgotten from years. I didn't stop or turned back. I was only making stops to take a nap somewhere at the roadside - in my car or in a motel. Or to refuel my car or eat something. I didn't contact anyone. Though I still had my cellphone with me, just in case. I knew I had my research to do and I also knew that there could be someone who wanted something from me. Even though my disappearance was sudden - the phone was quiet.

I passed by the roadside sign which announced I was driving through built-up area. The dark planet of awesome size, lit by no sun seemed to fade away at the sky. As a misty vision. I felt lost. "Welcome to Night Vale" - announced the sign visible by the side of the street.

I must have got to one of these ghost town, where I had never wanted to find myself, especially alone. I sighed but my intuition was telling me not to stop and drive a little bit further into the town. Obedient to my gut feelings I drove to the town, crossing next streets "planted" with houses which state was... not too good. The windows of the buildings were barricaded with slabs. Their doors were time-worn. I didn't really wanted to know what caused all that damage. At least I was not sure if I wanted to know.

I had to admit, that I felt a little uneasy and strange. And then in the most unsettling moment I heard a clap I didn't expect at all. I jump at my place, pushing the brake with my foot, and I rapidly stopped my car. Fortunately I had my seatbelt on. It was the radio. Unexpectedly it started to receive a signal, though it was previously turned off. I didn't hide my concern. I got a little scared. Thinking about it at this moment, I see there was no one who I could hide it from. I was alone.

I reached for my mobile phone to contact my research team about what was going on, and about my absence (It was late for that, I know, but the need of being responsible finally stroke me). But from all bad news I could get reaching for my phone I got the worst one: the screen of the cellphone displayed cute alert: "no signal". I didn't like that but... What could I do? I took a deep breath, I gritted my teeth, and I tried to calm myself down. Keep calm, Carlos, you are a scientist, you will be fine... The scientist is always fine.

I glanced through car window. The sun was setting down and it took place of the dark planet which led my way before. I took a look at my creaky radio and I tried to attune it... Surprisingly, it worked...

" A friendly desert community, where the sun is hot, the moon is beautiful and mysterious lights pass overhead while we all pretend to sleep. Welcome to Night Vale."

It creeped me out. Was the town really abandoned? But it looked as if it was. Carefully I drove further, I was driving slowly, looking around and listening to the voice in the radio, as if it was the last hope for my lost self. But... Who knew if this voice was broadcasted live? It could be an radio-echo. These kind of things were happening too. Nevertheless I'd rather stayed focused on observation of the surrounding area. Who knew who I could meet here. Or what could meet me here..?


	3. 3

_**Cecil:** _

Nevertheless, thoughts on the cats floating peacefully in men's restroom had to be set aside. The broadcast could not wait and i should have done my best during the airtime, and I should stay focused on the task. I mean, getting lost in my own thoughts jave never bothered me much, I was still fully aware experiencing things happening "here and now", though sometimes it is possible to wander too far away in the darkness.

These days I felt like it was trying to consume me more and more often but I was refusing to be eaten doggedly. I wasn't letting myself to get involved into... what ever it was trying to involve me into. Because I was pretty sure it would not be anything good, even though it seemed some kind of soothing. It was offering to rest. It was offering the calmness of the mind. It would mean the end of worrying about Station Management, and all warrants or prohibitions. It would mean the end of everything.

The end of the radio station. But I could not let that happen. 

Specks of dust were dancing around lighten up lamp. The candle were slowly burning out but when it seemed that after the flame only smoke will be left, it was enough to blink and the fire was stable, the candle unchanged and burning with the same flame it did burn before. 

I was thinking. I was thinking about the fact that as soon as I would have a moment to get out of the studio, I would for sure see my family. Despite their specificity I believed they were supporting me and they were some sort of proud of me, right? As a matter of fact, my sister had a terrible husband, and I couldn't recall the last time I saw my mother, though the Darkness lurking in the corner of the room was convincing me that if I will follow it, I would be able to see them all. I was deducing that they must have been somewhere out there. I also should have seen Earl. My childhood friend who few days ago confessed he had some feelings toward me, and I told him something like: "Oh. Oh, I need to think about it". And then, when I thought things through, I got stuck here, without the possibility to call him because in the station I could only answer the calls, not to call others. Though I was sure Earl was not even in Night Vale at the moment. To be fair - he rarely was there. 

I wanted to visit a lot of people. After days of loneliness I was slowly getting the feeling of missing my friends. Old Woman Josie... My favorite hairdresser, who always was trying not to cut hair too short. The Big Rico's pizza and the owner of the place. All these moments in the Bowling Alley...

\- Today, the streets look surprisingly empty. There is no need to be worried about traffic jam - it is the best time to drive through the town and create some! The evening is beautiful so why not to take that risk? Didn't any of you dream of the race with the darkness? The race with the fading light, the stake would be oneself life? Oh, thinking about that - I am not the fan of such extreme sports but I am pretty sure that there are some of them among you. It was the traffic. 

I closed my eyes tightly and let the my third eye to shine. I got chills on my backs but there was no one watching me in the studio. The blurry shadow could be seen in the distance. It was out of this time. Out of this space. Blurry shadow not belonging here. Definitely.

Troubles...

\- Let's talk about safty! It is really important to have the evening routine, repeat it together with me. We need to start with closing and covering all the windows.

I opened one of my eyes glancing at the empty walls. There were no windows in the studio. They were not needed.

\- Done? Just for sure you can also barricade them with some slabs. When you do so, you can at least hope that no one or nithing will be able to break into your homes. Remember to weld bathroom doors and covering them with the closet. Doors to doors, of course - we'd rather that entities from these places were traveling betweet their worlds without visiting our reality.

Because of the fact that one of my eye - the one on my forehead - was opened, the views were overlapping each other. I will make fast explanation of this - things from outside the space and time were visible when the rest of my eyes were closed and the only one opened was the third one. In other case the eye was just... a third eye. It was just widening my regular field of view. 

The shadow continued to get closer. Slowly it was wandering through my studio, overlapping the picture of reality, it was caused because I opened the eye. It was not the Darkness. The Darkness seemed rather intrigued, though it could not view what I was seeing. Or maybe it could? It would be probably  rude to talk to her about it any way. Not when other citizens were waiting for the tips.

-Any holes in the walls are unacceptable. The roofs, since 46 years are obligatory homeware in every house in this town. Williams, you should be ashamed! Ovens should be warmed up, so in case of the visit by some unwanted guests they would fully inderstand how undesirable their presence is. Unless it is someone listening to this broadcast and they will bring a bucket of water with them. 

I looked around the room once again before closing my eye.

\- Fences should be decorated with pieces of clothings and fresh meat. Then we can count that entities will fill their stomach with them will not be interested in us any longer. Doors absolutely should be barricaded with slabs and blocked with some furniture, or better: bricked up. Or even better! Get rid of them. Who uses them any way?

I shrugged, looking for some kind of support from the Darkness. Unfortunately, I had my eyes shut and I could not see if it agrees with me. That's a pity.

The shadow I saw in my vision opened its eyes and I jumped out of my seat as if it was burning me, pulling me headphones with me.

-Safety is a key, Night Vale! Remember, Sheriff's Secret Police do what they can to keep the town at the lowest of the death rate. I try to warn you as well, whenever I am able to do so. Remove the doors, Night Vale! Close yourself up the best you can, take care of yourself because tonight... tonight, the night will be completely different than any other before it. And now, to calm you all down I take you all to... the weather. 

I turned the microphone off. In some sort of panic I took the closest table and encumbered the door with it. It's nithing that the door was opening to the outside. It was a table. And who (or what) could win with the table?


	4. 4

_**Carlos:** _

Driving slowly down empty streets I realized how abandoned the town was. How lifeless, and frightfully quiet. The only sound heard here was calm voice in the radio, interrupting this grotesque, and ghastly peace. I opened the window by the passenger's side because I was a little unsure if I wanted to open the one by my side. I didn't know, I always thought I was a racional person but I felt so uncomfortable that I didn't really want to take needless risk. Ghost towns in US were never safe ones. They were homes to serial killers, and all kind of shady-looking individuals... 

Things said by the voice in the radio didn't really help, I would even say they made me feel even more uncomfortable and concerned. Part of me wanted to leave it all behind and go back, leave Night Vale as soon as possible, and spend next few days driving back where I came from, as far away from the town as possible. On the other hand - my scientific interest - insisted on keep on driving to take a look around - find a reason why I was brought here by my intuition. That part of me was also fully aware of possible dangers of the town. 

I passed Arby's - the building it was located in seemed bit spooky, and its door were taped with the black and yellow tape. The kind reminding me of this used by police to fence the crime scene - the one I could see here, was just a little different, and really not the one I knew. 

 I kept on driving and didn't find a soul around. I kind of hoped that my trip had some target, and that this target is not the end of my life, or something, because in the end I really liked being alive.

At last I found something good in this situation. But with that good there also was a sign of panic somewhere at the bottom of my heart. In the distance I saw a dog park, someone was standing there... At least I hoped so. I slowly lift up the glass of my window to shut it as I drove towards the dog park and the shape I believed was a human-being. In the end it turned out there was no one around - only some hoodie hanging down from the branch of a tree typical for desert climate. I shook my head with a relief, simulteniously feeling unsure if I was supposed to feel glad or not. Then I drove away. 

I passed a local pizzeria - this one was also barricaded with wooden boards. "No one does a slice like Big Rico's... No one" - announced the sign on the shopwindow.

All of the sudden my car stopped... ugh. I shouldn't have been surprised. I was out of fuel. Perfect. Really great! Ironically, I must have run out of it here, in the middle of nowhere - a ghost town - and to make things even better - on the evening. In the middle of the empty desert, miles away from the nearest petrol station. P e r f e c t,  I  h a v e  a l w a y s  d r e a m t  a b o u t  i t.  A L W A Y S.

I sighed as I opened the door, my hand shivering, I took a step out of my car, still listening to the voice informing "citizens" (I didn't meet one so far) about everything. I took a short walk to the trunk and I took my portable radio from here. I tuned it to the right wavelenght so I could listen to the broadcast. It was not hard, since it was the only wavelenght detected by my radio. It was at least unsettling. But what wasn't "unsettling" at the moment?

Of course I would not be myself if I didn't take any scientific instrument with me - I took a Geiger counter since it was something portable (For science! If I was to die, at least I will die for what I loved). Of course I did not forget to take a flashlight - which would probably be more useful than Geiger counter. I got back inside my car and I sat for a while on my seat, trying to pull myself together and make some plan.

I rested my head on a headrest and counted to three taking a deep breath, and then letting the air out of my nose. I tried to cope with all the situation. It was not something I was prepared for after all. At all. I took some time sitting for a little longer while. The voice in the radio stated a date. 1988... I opened my eyes wide. What? All hope has gone... The broadcast must have been some kind of echo of the once emitted broadcast. It got even more unsettling. At this point I had no idea where I was.

I took out my mobile phone and I opened Google Maps App but GPS decided to refuse working. To make things worse there was no signal, so I couldn't contact anyone. Resigned, I placed the phone back to the pocket of my lab coat (which, for now, I treated as a regular coat). To be honest I forget what I was doing when I decided to vanish like that, and why did I even do that. But it was not the worst. The worst was that the voice in the radio just communicated that all of the listeners were supposed to take precautious. The voice said that citizens were obligated to barricade their homes - but what for? Even the speaker seemed to have no clue about what was that danger. Though he sounded as if he was close to the pinic. And then... Then he announced the weather - it didn't sound like the weather you expect to hear. There was a music coming out from the speakers of my portable radio device. It was too much for me... I took the radio and plugged my headphones into it, one of them I put into my ear. I finally parked my car - if we can say so - and got out of it, locking it.

I circled my vehicle few times - I suppose it was about six times - sounds like something I could do. Then I walked away. I had no idea where I was going. I wanted to find a place to hide - I hoped I would find a safe place. Maybe I should have find a building and also barricade myself in it to wait through the night? If I survived that I could leave the town in the morning. By my own. I wouldn't need a car. I would come back... But the question was... where? I didn't even have an idea where was the place I wanted to come back to. I only knew I was a scientist and that I had my research to do, and that I should probably talk to my team, and let them know that I needed help to get me out of this place. I felt so irresponsible... Well.

I hit the road, walking straight ahead. In the end I found a building which had its door opened. I was up to something really stupid, but again - if I was to die - let it be quick. Carefully I entered the dark corridor, trying to switched my flashlight. Why didn't I take the other one..? I hit it once, then I hit it again, simulteniously walking through that dark hall. All of the sudden my shoe drowned in something slimy and sticky, making a noise when it happened. A little creeped out I hit the flashlight harder and it lighten up the area, uncovering the horrible discovery under my foot. I dropped my radio and the headphones plugged off from it. Radio started to play at the full volume and the music was filling the corridor with an echo.

I felt how that anxiety fills every inch of my body. I didn't want to see whatever it was. I had no idea what that thing was but it was the moment I realized that taking a Geiger counter with me was not that stupid idea as it seemed at the very beginning. But at the moment... I wanted to leave and I started regret I didn't stay in the car instead.

I grabbed the radio and I run for the doors but as in every bad horror movie it slammed shut at my face - it was probably caused by the wind though.

I pulled myself together. I plugged the headphones back to my radio and I tried to calm down and find out what was wrong with this place. I placed the radio in the pocket and I swapped its place in my hand with Geiger counter. I knew it couldn't get any worse. 

I tried to open the door but it seemed to get locked. I sighed and made decision to evacuate myself from the building using first window I would find here.


End file.
